'Doc' Whiteman to Advise Student-Athletes
Curtis “Doc” Whiteman, Westmont professor of historical theology, is faculty adviser to student-athletes, a new position created by the Offices of the Provost and Athletic Director. Whiteman, who has been teaching at Westmont since 1973, continues his normal faculty responsibilities. He will provide academic assistance to any student-athlete referred to him by a Westmont coach, working directly with student-athletes or hiring a tutor to assist them.
“This is a tangible way we can contribute to the academic success of our student-athletes,” Provost Rick Pointer says. “Curt is the perfect candidate to help us in this area because he understands what it takes to be successful in the classroom and he understands athletics.”
Whiteman’s work will focus on student performance in courses, not on academic advising in the sense of helping students choose their courses, which is the role of the student’s academic adviser.
Athletic Director Dave Odell realized early in his tenure that academic support for student-athletes was imperative if Westmont was going to achieve its goals of being great on the field and in the classroom. “A student-athlete’s in-season demands require in the range of 25 to 30 hours per week,” Odell says. “There are very few opportunities outside of class time, chapel time, game time and practice time to get extra help if an athlete is struggling with a particular course.”
He says that office hours of tutors and professors are often not in sync with an athlete’s schedule. Student-athletes are also forced to miss classes for away games, putting them behind or at least at a disadvantage in comparison to classmates.
“This new position shows our athletes, their parents and the faculty that academics are a priority at Westmont,” Odell says, “and that we care enough to help those that might struggle transitioning into our academic rigors.”
Whiteman, who earned his doctorate from St. Louis University, says all Division I schools have full-time faculty members who travel with the team. “We have many junior college or community college transfers who come to Westmont, hit an academic wall and are knocked for a loop” Whiteman says. “They have no idea what they’re getting into and have nobody in place to advise or work with them.
“I’ve related well with the athletes for 37 years, and this new position simply allows me to try and give them a boost. I believe these students are here because they deserve to be here, but some of them need a helping hand when the going gets tough.”